


Boldness and excitement

by HikariYumi



Series: Pastoral counseling [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Christian Castiel (Supernatural), Coming Out, Friendship, Gabriel Being Gabriel, Gay Castiel, Gay Crowley (Supernatural), Gen, Human Castiel, Human Crowley, Implied Crowstiel, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Kinda, Love Confessions, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Pre-Slash, Priest Crowley (Supernatural), Short One Shot, Student Castiel, church, helpless castiel, lonely crowley, past Destiel, pre-crowstiel, strictly catholic family, timid castiel, young adult Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-01 18:37:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10196540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HikariYumi/pseuds/HikariYumi
Summary: After starting College, Castiel visits his hometown on vacation. Of course he will drop by Crowley, too, who missed the boy quite a bit. Things take an interesting turn and of course Gabriel was involved somehow.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello,  
> So... that was quite a big time skip, wasn't it?  
> But well, they take it slow, whatever "it" is :P  
> I didn't describe what happened between Dean and Castiel on purpose. They broke up, most teenagers do, but if they really got to use the advice Crowley gave or why they split, I leave that to your imagination xD  
> (Majinie, wanna write something about that? :P)
> 
> Warning: the little hints from before are now official, there is a pre-Crowstiel relationship, but it isn't consumed (yet).
> 
> Hope you still like it and want to continue reading!  
> If you find mistakes my poor beta didn't catch, don't hesitate to tell me :)
> 
> ~Hikari

Father Macleod quickly checked his watch, it still stated that it was shortly before five, but that wouldn't do anything to stop him glancing at it again in half a minute.  
  
Maybe he was a bit more eager than necessary about the visit of little Castiel, on the other hand it had been half a year since the boy had found time to return to his old church.  
  
The nineteen-year-old was currently studying Philosophy in another state, far away from his disapproving family who were really enraged when they found out about his choice of lectures. As always, it were Anna and Gabriel who strengthened Castiel in his way. And Crowley of course.

Before the boy's departure to university, the four of them had a little party in the older Novak's sweetshop. They had talked a lot, drunk enough coffee to be unable to sleep for days, but it had been one of the nicest evenings Crowley could recall.  
  
This break, Castiel had decided to return to his hometown, visit his siblings and meet up with the priest and wasn't it nice that the boy thought him as important as his family?

Crowley sneaked a look at the watch on his wrist, frowning when it still didn't seem to move. Maybe it was broken?  
  
He sighed and forced himself to relax a bit, absently wondering how Castiel's life had turned out by now, if he had friends or even a new boyfriend. Since Dean, there hadn't been anyone else and Crowley decided to not worry about that and let him explore everything in his own time.

Finally, the sound of the doorbell ripped the priest from his thoughts and he nearly jumped out of the armchair. On his way to the entrance, he smoothed out the wrinkles in his usual suit and straightened his tie, no need to look like he had fallen asleep on the sofa.

Castiel still looked the very same.  
  
His untameable hair messy but incredibly adorable and blue eyes deep with questions and well-concealed emotions. Despite the sunny weather in his state, the boy's skin was still pale, most likely because Castiel spent most of his time holed up in a library.  
  
Crowley couldn't help but smile.

"Castiel, come in. Nice to see you."  
  
Like a heavy weight had fallen from his shoulders, the student stood a bit more relaxed. The moment when he let himself slip down into the armchair he had always sat in, he looked like he was just coming home. Crowley felt indecently happy about that thought.  
  
"Thank you, father. I'm glad that you had time for me to visit."  
  
It was still there, the streak of shyness, timidness, something he was born and raised with, silent but no longer a silent follower. Castiel had become strong.  
  
Something like warm pride flooded Crowley's heart, it couldn't have been any better.

"You should know I always have time for you. So, I take you're living with Gabriel for your stay?"  
  
The older Novak, still the same laid-back guy as when he had been a kid, was actually pretty successful with his little shop, earning enough to live without worries. Something the priest was seriously thankful about since it was obvious that the family wouldn't do anything to help him out as long as he didn't do what was expected from him.  
  
"Yes, I didn't want to inconvenience anyone," meaning he wasn't really welcome in his old home anymore, "and it's not far from Anna's school, I plan to pick her up tomorrow and go into the city."

Crowley long had stopped being angry at the Novak parents for their stubborn behaviour concerning the lives of their children. He wondered what Anna would do after school, now that her sick days finally appeared to be over. Thanks to her extensive contact to both Castiel and Gabriel, she had grown aware of the situation she was going to be confronted with soon.  
  
"That sounds like a good idea. I haven't seen her in a while, please relay my best wishes."

With Michael working outside of town, Uriel having moved to another state for his study in politics and Anna busy with catching up in school, only the parents had shown up for mass on Saturday night the last weeks. Gabriel sometimes visited, but mostly on Sunday mornings to bring Crowley a pack of his favourite sweets from the shop.

Castiel nodded seriously. "I will."  
  
Silence settled upon them and the boy fidgeted a bit awkwardly. That was an old habit that reappeared, before his leave Castiel had felt familiar enough he stayed calm even in little breaks of conversation.  
  
"So what have you been up to? How are your studies going?" And there it came back, the spark in the boy's eyes when someone really, honestly asked a question about something he was passionate about.  
  
"It's incredible! One of my professors is publishing a book at the moment which is absolutely brilliant! He gave me an early copy so I could read it and it helped me to learn a lot more about the ethical studies!"

It was rare that Castiel spoke so loudly and confidently, so excited and thrilled by the topic that the usual mask of indifference he had learned to maintain was swept away.  
  
"That sounds like you are happy with your choices," Crowley smiled, earning a hearty affirmation. "And did you find any persons you like?"  
  
The priest carefully poured them both a cup of tea, the boy's favourite flavour.

Castiel looked thoughtful for a moment before his eyes settled back on Crowley. "Yes, Balthazar, he is in one of my courses, is really nice. I think he could be a good friend."  
  
The priest raised an eyebrow. "A good friend, huh?" Castiel had never really been a people-person, his only friend being Dean and his little brother, but if he found something like this at university that would be fantastic. Crowley wasn't feeling well with the thought of the boy being completely alone in another state.

"Yes. I don't have a... boyfriend. And I don't think he could be that for me. But I like him."  
  
"It's good that you can make distinctions like that, and I'm glad you found someone over there to meet up with. It's not good to be always alone, not even for someone like you."  
  
Crowley smiled minutely, for one second thrown back to another day something like five years ago. Things hadn't changed too much, except for the fact that the little teenager had grown up to an adult. He was still as reluctant around people as he'd been then.

"But you are alone, too, father." Blue eyes locking on Crowley's face contemplatively, as if he was trying to figure something out.  
  
The priest chuckled at the boy's words. "I'm not alone, Castiel, Im with people every day in church."   
  
The uncertain look got replaced by something more confident. "No, that's something else. That's like me being around people in a course, I'm still alone. It is your job and you care about them, but that's it. It's not mutual, not like this."  
  
Well, didn't Castiel have a really good point there? Why did he have to be perceptive especially in this topic right now?

Crowley decided that it was just right to be honest with the boy, something that he had learned was the best way to interact with him most of the time. Castiel really had problems understanding subtle hints after all.  
  
"You are right. But I do have friends, you for example, maybe even your brother." The priest winked and took a sip from his tea. Satisfied, he watched how the worried look on the boys face smoothed out back into the serene contentedness from before.

"I want to be your friend."  
  
Crowley looked up at Castiel in surprise, they had sat in companionable silence for a few minutes now and somehow he had expected it to stay like this longer. Moreover, he wasn't quite sure what the boy was trying to say now.  
  
"You are, we just established that, didn't we?"

Apparently, there was something more about it. Castiel averted his eyes for a moment again, maybe searching for words to explain what he wanted to say.  
  
"Not like that. No, that, too, but I didn't mean it like this." The boy stumbled over his words but he had raised his gaze again, showing something like boldness, while he awaited to get a bad reaction. Strange.  
  
"So, what did you mean? It's fine, Castiel, you know you can tell me everything without worry."

This concern most likely would stay with Castiel for the better part of his life, things people got raised with were really hard to get rid off completely. All you could do was ease them through this.  
  
"Some time ago I noticed that I've taken an inappropriate liking in you, father. Well, it was Gabriel who pointed it out to me."  
  
Oh, well. At least he wasn't surprised that Gabriel was the one to confront Castiel about things like that. And the other part, oddly Crowley couldn't feel himself be bothered, more the opposite, at least if you ignored said inappropriateness.

"And what did you think after you noticed that?" Better to scout out the territory here before proceeding.  
  
"I-" Castiel searched his gaze looking adorably helpless. "Father, I don't know."  
  
He priest smiled softly, he wasn't amused by the misery of the boy but honestly happy about the earnestness. "As I said, it's quite alright. Maybe you'll figure it out one day. Maybe you won't."

Both of them finished their tea and quietly Castiel put on his coat, he looked uncertain.  
  
"It was nice to see you again, if you feel like it you can visit me again while you are here. I would definitely be happy about that."

The boy blushed and fumbled at his coats seam. "Yes, I would like that, too. Maybe on Saturday? After lunch?" Crowley nodded and walked Castiel to the door as he had always done.  
  
"Sounds good for me. Have a lot of fun with your sister tomorrow."  
  
"Thanks, Father."

The priest hesitated for a long moment before inwardly shrugging to himself, deciding that nothing would happen if he voiced his little idea out loud.  
  
"Call me Crowley if you like, Castiel. I think we're close enough for that."  
  
The blush on the boy's cheeks deepened, but his eyes lit with joy. Right decision then.

"See you on Saturday then... Crowley."  
  
Crowley chuckled heartily and leaned against the door frame.  
  
"Be safe, Castiel."


End file.
